


Meret's Blessing

by StarNovelli



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Ancient Egypt, Egyptology, Genderbending, Goddess Meret, Goddesses, Multi, Post-Canon, Singing, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:01:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27904891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarNovelli/pseuds/StarNovelli
Summary: Meret. The beloved Goddess. Wife of the God Hapy the source of bountifulness and recipient of his endless generosity. Meret loved human kind so much that it was believed that she bestowed upon them one of her many gifts, a blessing on a human child that would rejoice in singing. Whomever should hear these songs would know unbound joy and happiness in that moment.But this was just a legand... a story, a simple fairy-tale told to young children before bed.Or was it?
Relationships: Jounouchi Katsuya | Joey Wheeler/Kaiba Seto
Comments: 7
Kudos: 16





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Before you start reading please read this. It serves as your first and only warning.
> 
> So... I’ve had this idea scrambling in my head for months, however I wanted to refresh my knowledge on where the original series, its characters and The Dark Side of Dimensions left off. This story will take place AFTER these events trying to stay as true to the plots that have already happened, however some may get a little warped where necessary to fit this fiction. I will pre-warn now Jōnouchi’s character itself will get the most warping in this one so please be prepared. 
> 
> I did try and put a little bit of research into Egyptian Mythology mainly into the Goddess Meret albeit there is not much info on her just that she was known strongly to be associated with rejoicing such as singing and dancing, so for the most part I will stick true to this but will be adding bits and pieces in where necessary.
> 
> Genderbending, yes, I will be changing Jōnouchi’s character from male to female for this fic, the route it went down it was better suited, this is not normally my thing I am a yaoi fan as you can tell from my other fics, but it’s more in line for how I wanted this fic to turn out. He will start as a male and change to female but I wont give away anymore than that or I will spoil it.
> 
> Jōnouchi will be having ancient Egyptian history, it will be set after Atem’s sealing into the Millenium Puzzle, and will be revealed in all due time. It will be in no way related to the Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memories game. So for all intent and purposes that never happened here.
> 
> There will be minor song references from current hit songs to other anime songs namely ‘Gakusen Toshi Asutarisuku II’ Haruka Chigusa’s ‘Lonely Feather’ This was what actually inspired me to come up with a story that I could incorporate this song to. If you have not heard this, I highly recommend listening to it, it is a beautiful song. 
> 
> Priest/Pharaoh Seto will be known as “Set” to avoid any confusion between the two. 
> 
> Please take this first 'Chapter' as more like a Prologue, it is quite short and I intended it to be that way. It is more like the starting setting to build up to what is about to transpire than anything else. Future Chapters will indeed be much longer than this.
> 
> This story is a current work in progress, from the time of uploading this first part I am just over half-way through writing the next, I wanted to write more first before I released this so I had a build up of chapters to release at a slow and steady pace, however I want to see what interest this piece actually gains. No point continuing it if people have no interest in it so updates will be sporadic at the moment with Christmas around the corner and my current hectic working schedule.
> 
> Anyway enough of my ramblings, enjoy!

The night was cold in Egypt as they tended to be, the palace was a hushed silence at this hour as everyone had gone to bed except one person. They glided around the palace with familiar certainty knowing the exact location of where they were headed in. Rounding the final corner, they paused and reached up with one arm to light the small hand-held fire torch they held with the flame from the one on the wall before using the other to pull the holder forward, a resounding ‘click’ was heard before the tell-tale sight and sounds of the passageway door opening up were seen. 

Blue eyes glanced around to check he was still alone before making his descent. 

The stairs down were dark, lit only by the flame he carried yet his determined gaze never wavered. The ancient catacombs beneath the palace were known only to a selected few, the statues and many archaeological objects covered in intricate hieroglyphics and gold were of magical origin hidden from those who wished to abuse them. 

His course never wavered from the path he had set himself on, gliding through the many corridors and twisting pathways, his pace came to a slowing stop at the end of the final hallway. 

The torch he held barely lit the black room, yet he already knew what was awaiting him here. Closing his eyes, he took a few seconds to gather his thoughts. His _Kā_ was screaming at him from within, her fear prominent at the consequences if this went wrong. 

Blues eyes snapped open with complete conviction of what he was about to do, failure was not an option. 

The torch he held was dipped in the liquid to his right before he let go of it fully, the fire instantaneously started to spread throughout the pool around the room, the flames outlining the circular layout from one side of the door to the other. 

It took a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the sudden light, runes and markings were littered with precise precision all over the floor and walls encompassing the lone chest tomb in the centre of the room, his eye lingering on the body rested on top of the stone, gaze softening into a desperate longing. He walked over slowly and bent over the body, hand slowly cupping the cold cheek of the womans face his forehead pressed gently against hers. 

Even in deaths grip she was beautiful. 

The white and gold Egyptian dress hugged her silhouette perfectly, one slender leg just barely peeking out the long slit in the side, hands rested together just under her breast's gold cuffs circled her wrists, the intricate design of the lotus carved into the metal. Hair the colour of the sun splayed out from her crown down her back and underneath her trailing down the side of the stone. A single gold headband encrusted with small rubies rested atop her locks. 

Once more, he closed his eyes his face a picture of the pain he felt inside. If only he could hear her songs just once more. 

Resolve finalised, determined blue eyes opened and took one final look at her before he stepped away from the stone and into the centre of the circle with the unicursal hexagram. 

Kneeling down on one knee he took the Millenium Rod from his belt and held it in front of him with both hands. His incantation began, mumbling words in the ancient language. He was almost happy that his cousin would not be around to see this, there would have been no way he would have approved. 

The runes and markings on the floor began to slowly glow, he carried on chanting determined, no... _pleading_ for this to work. 

“Pharaoh Set!” The voice that came from the doorway almost made him jump, she was not supposed to know about this, no one was. “I implore you! Please, stop this!” 

Set did not turn to look at her, the ritual was too far gone to be stopped now. “You know I cannot do that now; you will speak of this to no one!” 

“Why on earth would you do something like this?!” Mana screeched in outrage. “I understand that you loved her! But this!?” Mana was bordering on hysterics; she knew the dangers of tampering with this kind of magic. “Atem would never have approved! Why would you even dare to mix the Orichalcos with Shadow Magic! You could doom us all!” 

“Atem is no longer here for me to seek his approval, I am the Pharaoh now!” Set snapped back, bringing Atem’s approval into it was unfair but had he not just thought the same? Still, he would not... could not stop now. “I know what I am doing.” 

Set had convinced himself to a certain degree that was true, however tampering with magic this old was dangerous he knew this, and he would not be around at least, this version of himself would not be around to see what consequences would become of it. 

Everything was in order and had been set for this, the Tablet of Lost Memories had been created before all this in tribute and honour of his Cousin and of the sacrifice he made, however he made sure his name had been destroyed throughout the land's books and inscriptions, nobody was obtaining the key to release Zorc. 

The magic continued to surge, and he knew he was struggling to contain the power that was roaring to life in the chamber. He continued still, resolve still not wavering in his belief that this could work. 

It had to work. 

“Set this is complete madness!” Mana was on the verge of tears; he could hear the tremble in her voice. “I’m begging you to stop!” 

“It is too late for that now, Mana.” he breathed out heavily, there was no going back now not that he would have done anything differently anyway. 

The runes and markings that glowed faintly turned a sickening green mixed with the slight specs of black and purple evident with shadow magic and began to envelop himself and the body on the stone. 

“Mana.” Set continued, he turned to look over his shoulder hoping his eyes reflected the sincerity of his final words “I hope one day you will forgive me.” 

Mana closed her eyes and forced her arms to shield her face when the backlash of light and magic came, it sent her back several paces, never before had she ever felt magic like this, but as quickly as it came it was gone. 

When the light and darkness that followed after dissipated, there was a deathly silence that settled. 

Mana’s shaking feet gave out at the sight before her, slumping to the floor the unshed tears in her eyes fell and a trembling hand came up to her mouth. First Atem and the five Sacred Guardians, now the last also? 

The quiet was broken by her scream. “Pharaoh Set!” 

Both Set and the body were gone.


	2. Whatever It Takes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Whatever it takes,  
>  Yeah, take me to the top I'm ready for,  
> Whatever it takes,  
> 'Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins. _
> 
> – Imagine Dragons (Whatever It Takes)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! I managed to finish this chapter much quicker than I thought it would, some how I ended up on a roll with this one so I will release it now c:
> 
> I haven't even started on the next Chapter yet so there will be a much longer period of time before the next instalment of this, being a Key Worker in these current times has me busier and busier as Christmas draws closer.
> 
> So sit back enjoy the ride and keep your hands and feet inside the car at all times, it's going to get bumpy.

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The sounds of the computer systems initiating as Kaiba Seto fervently typed away the activation sequences surrounded him in the small, single person pod in the Kaiba Corp Space Station. 

“Nii-sama, are you really going?” Mokuba’s questioning voice asked him as his brother teenage face appeared on the digital screen, worry evident on his teenage features. 

Seto smirked confidently trying to ease his brothers worries, Mokuba needed to have a little more faith in him. “When this is complete, a whole new type of dual will be born.” 

And what a new type of duel it would be. The endless possibilities that could open up if this system worked was unfathomable. 

“But it’s still too dangerous to test that prototype!” Mokuba pleaded from the screen. “We have no idea how volatile the dimensional plane emulator system could be!” 

“Mokuba...,” Seto smiled as he leaned back and relaxed, it was the small reserved smile he only ever directed at his younger brother. Seto clicked the button that closed the lid to the pod before he addressed Mokuba once more. “You handle the rest.” 

“Nii-sama... “ Mokuba’s voice shook with uncertainty, “Make sure you come back safely.” 

“Duel Dimension System, Activate!” 

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Kaiba Seto had had his spirit taken on far too many occasions than he’d like to count. When the darkness that came with it had encased him and caged him in an endless nightmare. Making him relive his failures and torturing his soul that it felt like it was impossible to take a breath and he would suffocate in his own misery. 

Seto had been prepared to feel that darkness envelope him again as his spirit was whisked away to his intended destination, yet it never came. He wasn’t quite sure how to describe the feeling this time, exhilarating like skydiving in open clear blue skies, relaxing like floating in the calm blue ocean, or maybe it was how a feather felt being carried by a gentle breeze. 

Honestly, if he had to describe it this time around it was like he had never felt so _free._

Free from the burdens of being CEO to the world's biggest gaming company, free from having to defend and protect his brother from idiots trying to take over the world. Free from all thoughts, feelings and doubts, just a clear open mind drifting along the tide. 

Seto couldn’t say how long he stayed like that, seconds, minutes possibly even hours all sense of time seemed lost to him. It wasn’t until he could feel the heat of the sun on his body that blue eyes slowly blinked open and took in his surroundings. 

He smirked to himself, looks like his protype was a success. 

Sand shifted under his boots from the edge of the desert as he headed towards the town before him, spirits peacefully going about their business and chatter normal for a town surrounded him. Some spirits stopped to point and whisper and he supposed for the age these people came from he stuck out like some foreign object. Seto didn’t care though and continued on his journey, these people were not his concern. 

The guards at the entrance of the palace when he arrived did nothing to stop him walking through the courtyard towards the entrance hall, yet why would they? There was no threat to the souls blessed to the paradise of the afterlife. 

As Seto strode through the entrance hall he silently wondered if this was the afterlife paradise the Egyptians spoke of why were there guards to begin with? It didn’t make any sense. Out of respect or honour maybe? But as Seto came up to and pushed open the huge stone doors at the end of the hall his thought train on the guards ceased. 

Blue eyes clashed immediately with the crimson eyes of the Pharaoh sat atop his throne. 

Seto raised his right arm, duel disk activating and at the ready. The young CEO couldn’t help the smirk or the amused grunt that left his lips as the Pharaoh... no... _Atem_ rose to his feet confident smile on his features. 

Time to get his victory and finish this once and for all. 

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“All bodily and vital functions are normal and stable, Vice President.” 

Kaiba Mokuba did not turn to the female employee who addressed him, Yamazaki Misaki was it? Instead, he nodded in acknowledgement. “Are Hayashi and Shimizu on route to the space station?” 

“Yes, sir. They should be arriving in t-minus 3hours and 27minutes.” 

Mokuba waved her off seemingly uninterested in anything else she had to say. The young teenagers' eyes never left the big monitor in the command room for this very project in the KaibaCorp main building in Domino City. Scientists and technicians alike buzzed around the room working on the current project. Stats and statistics constantly being read, checked and monitored. 

Under normal situations, Mokuba knew he would be much more enthusiastic at the promising results the prototype was giving so far; however, the teenager just couldn’t find it in himself to get excited this time. 

He could see the stable statistics for himself, as he checked, double checked and then triple checked that the readings were accurate and correct. 

Brain function, normal. Heart function, normal. Kidney’s, ok. Liver, check. Lungs... Mokuba sighed to no one but himself. He was going to drive himself insane at this rate. 

The youngest Kaiba continued to stare at the monitor showing his brothers motionless, no it wasn’t motionless it was his brother’s spiritless body inside the small pod as the computers continued to update him on the programs and Seto's progress. 

There had been only a handful of times when Mokuba could say he felt uneasy about the decisions his brother made. When the discomfort of the unknown twisted in his gut screaming at him that something just wasn’t _right_. 

Mokuba prayed to whatever god that was out there, as he watched over Seto that his gut feeling this time, was wrong. 

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“Again.” 

Atem stared at the brown-haired male before him in disbelief. Did this... he pondered the correct word to describe him in this moment... This man’s, because that’s what he was now, did his self-absorbed pride know no bounds that self-preservation in comparison took a back seat? Atem knew he had to get him to return before he no longer could. 

“Enough Kaiba! You need to...” 

“I said again.” Kaiba cut him off before he could finish, glare firmly in place. 

Atem blinked, and then blinked again and because his mind wouldn’t.... couldn’t wrap itself around the fact Kaiba had just cut him off to ignore what he was saying, he blinked once more. 

For all the intelligence Kaiba had, right now he was being the biggest idiot this side of the afterlife. Whatever contraption the brunette had built, clearly was still with its flaws and regardless what he did it always would be, a living spirit was not supposed to enter the afterlife. The longer Kaiba stayed here, the more his spirit would detach itself from his living body and he would no longer be able to return. 

Atem had seriously contemplated throwing the duel purposely after the third round when he had sensed the strain on Kaiba’s soul, but he knew doing so would not go unnoticed and would not satisfy the other duelist. 

The only way to get the stubborn man to return would be on his own terms. 

Atem fisted his hands at his side. “Go home Kaiba! Your spirit is in no fit state to stay here any longer!” 

Kaiba Seto was no fool. He knew the slight shaking of his body that made every part of him feel almost like lead, trying to force him to his knees, was because his time was quickly running out here. Yet, he refused to return no matter how much his body... no, it wasn’t his body, it was his spirit crying out that it needed to return. 

Seto was going to defeat the man before him. He was going to defeat him and it was going to fill the piece of him that he had felt missing for years. Kaiba Seto was going to reclaim the title of ‘King of Duelists’ and the empty void within him was going to be filled. He would get on with bigger and better things in his life. 

The only person in his way was the spirit that stood before him. The spirit whose existence from Seto’s very first defeat to him has silently mocked him ever since. Destined to be ‘second best’ was what people would whisper when they believed he couldn’t hear them. Seto did not, and would never settle for second. He would regain the top, one way or another. 

Readying his duel disk once more, Seto opened his mouth to speak but the only thing that came out was an abrupt whoosh of air as something collided into him. 

The only hint of a warning the brunette even got was vaguely hearing Atem’s voice call out ‘Set what are you...?’ the question wasn’t even finished. 

So, he dealt with it the only way he knew how, anger surging and filling him, face contorting into rage as he steadied himself from the disorientation of having something abruptly startle him. The anger that filled him quickly fizzled out as shock settled in as he looked at what... no it wasn’t a what crashed into him... it was a who. 

Panicked blue eyes that were identical to his own stared back at him. 

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Priest Set strode through the halls as calmly as he could so to not give away the internal distress he felt. Destination set, he picked up his pace rounding corner after corner. Cursing internally the person who decided to make his quarters on the other side of the palace. 

He had heard the servants whispering amongst themselves. At first, he had decided to ignore the clear gossiping, he was not interested in their idle talk. This was the afterlife goddammit, it was supposed to be peaceful! 

When the whispering continued, one too many glances casted in his direction and overhearing the words ‘looks just like him’, he cornered them, determined to find out what they were talking about. It was a shock even to him, not that he gave that away and sent them to carry on their duties, that someone who looked exactly like him was duelling his cousin in the throne room. 

It could only be one person. 

Why the hell was he here in the afterlife? 

Set scowled to himself as he turned yet another corner. He had felt his _Kā’s_ irritation for some time through no actions of his own, and he just knew even after everything that he had done Kisara still protected him to the extent that she even protected his modern re-incarnation. No time to dwell on the small amount egotistical pride that swelled within him at this, his thoughts were still filled with a million other questions as he continued his quick pace towards the throne room. 

Set, along with everyone else had listened to his cousins many tales of his adventures with the boy whose body was chosen to bear Atem’s spirit. His cousin's faith and courage tested at every twist and turn. Duelist Kingdom, Shadow Games, Battle City, the Orichalcos and The Great Leviathan, then there was Zorc... Atem had claimed his success on his new found friends, that their love, trust and friendship had guided him to the correct path, his three-thousand-year journey coming to an end and his spirit finally able to rest. 

The Priest of the Millennium Rod would never admit to listening more intently than anyone else in the room to Atem’s stories in the hope that maybe in one of them he could tell if she was there and she was safe. He had never forgotten what he had done all those years ago and he had never once spoke to anyone about it either, he did not want their judgemental or disapproving opinions. 

Mana would always send that sideward knowing glance wanting to ask or maybe say something to him, yet she never uttered a word. 

He sometimes wondered how after what he had done, how was he even allowed to enter the paradise of the afterlife. The Gods would have known what he did, there was no denying that. Maybe this was his punishment? To watch over all the happy spirits never truly knowing if anything he did had worked. 

Through all of Atem’s tales the only evidence that anything had actually worked that night was that his re-incarnation conveniently enough had come into existence when the ‘chosen one’ had appeared. Rearing that night's ugly head to expose everything, the truth, what he had done... his failure. 

Karma, was a colossal bitch it seemed. 

On many occasions Set had wanted to ask his cousin to even gain a small glimmer of hope that what he had done was not in vain, yet every time he would bite his lip and say nothing. The fear of an answer he wouldn’t like gripping his heart, silencing his words. 

But now _he_ was here... questions.... so many unanswered questions that had been buried deep for thousands of years were surfacing once again threatening to take hold of his very being. Had he found her? Was she safe? Did he even remember? Goddammit he wanted... no needed to know! 

Set’s _Kā_ roared in anguish within him as he turned the final corner, had she been defeated? His quick pace turned into a sprint aiming for the doors at the end of the corridor. The vague voice of his cousin and another so similar to his own, yet still different... was that arguing? The voices got louder and louder the closer he got and without a single care for announcing his intrusion he barged through the doors determined to get the answers he sought. 

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Seto stared into panicked blue eyes practically identical to his own as the person owning them gripped his shoulders and shook him. For some reason, his brain just couldn’t seem to grasp the situation and he could only understand bits and pieces of what they were saying. 

“... found her... danger... safe... black dragon... songs of the gods...” 

Finally gaining some sense of reality Seto dealt with the unknown in the only way he knew how. Anger and bitterness. 

The CEO violently forced himself free of the grip holding him and roared in outrage. “Get off of me!” 

A tense silence settled amongst the now three occupants of the throne room. Two sets of blue eyes glared at each other, trying to size the other up while crimson constantly flicked between the two in a silent question of what the hell was going on. 

Seto’s venomous glare at the intruder turned ice cold. This was not part of the equation he had set up for himself. His body was still trembling and his breaths came out in short gasps, a mixture of his outburst and his over exerted spirit. The plan had been to beat the Pharaoh and leave with his head held high, short and simple. Why was it that there was always a goddamn problem thrown into the mix? He steadied himself as much as he could as he asked his next question. Although deep, deep down he feared he already knew the answer to it. 

“Who the hell are you?” 

It was Atem who spoke next, taking a single step towards his sacred guardian. “Set, explain yourself.” 

The tri-colour haired Pharaoh watched as his normally over confident, refined Priest tensed at his command. Set was hiding something that much was obvious, but what it was? Crimson eyes narrowed slightly; was a mystery he was going to get to the bottom of. 

Set shifted his weight slightly from one foot to the other at Atem’s stare, it was making him uncomfortable. Yet his glare never wavered from the man in front of him that could basically be his twin, the twin who was glaring daggers back at him. It seemed his re-incarnation was still stuck in the power hungry, egotistical phase he once was. Getting him to listen was going to be an issue. 

Set really didn’t want to do this in front of Atem but it seemed he had no choice. The priest took a deep breath in, resigned to his fate of revealing his past failure. 

“Please, cousin.” Set balled his fists at his side, gaze not wavering from the man in front of him. “Let me speak with him.” 

Atem physically recoiled at the plea, not once since finding out they were related had Set addressed him in such a manner. Eyes widening he quickly realized, this situation was very serious. What was so important that Set would plead to speak with Kaiba? Everything from his life had been laid to rest, there was nothing left to discuss with any of their re-incarnations. The only possible clause was that perhaps it was something that stemmed from the time he was no longer reigning. 

Composing himself, the young Pharaoh stared in both confusion and curiosity at Set. Curiosity winning the day however and he silently nodded in agreement. 

Set allowed his body to relax slightly at the approval. Seriousness filled him, grounded him as he continued to have a glaring match with the man before him who clearly was out of his depths still being here, he would have to make this quick. 

Was this how the people once saw Set himself? The Priest couldn’t deny the slight wave of disgust that filled him, his re-incarnation was currently an unpleasant man it seemed, no time to dwell on this, the young man's time was running out quickly and Set needed answers. 

“I am sure you already know the answer to your question, I will humour you however.” Set allowed his glare to morph into an amused expression as he spoke. “I am one of the six Sacred Guardians Set, keeper of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, first cousin of Pharaoh Atem that stands before you...” Set couldn’t stop the smirk of his lips at his next words. “You... in your previous life.” 

The outraged reaction was instantaneous. “You expect me to believe that?!” 

“Believe what you will.” Set shrugged then waved him off. “But how else would you explain this?” 

One delicate brown eyebrow rose in mocked questioning. 

Seto bit his lip and grimaced, no amount of scientific knowledge on his part could explain it logically. Cloning or a hallucination perhaps? But that would only be possible in reality, not the afterlife. Maybe Atem and his Millenium Puzzle? But that thought died as quickly as it came, The Pharaoh was many things, but pointless cruel jokes was not something he did. Everything that Seto had denied for so long now stood in front of him, mocking him. The thought pissed the CEO off more than he would ever admit. He hated being proved wrong. 

“Enough.” Seto spat, he had no interest in his past self's failures, they were Set’s problem not his. “I have no interest in what you have to say, get out of my way so I can finish what I came here to do.” 

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to decline.” Set narrowed his eyes. “You _will_ answer my questions. How much of my life do you remember?” 

“I will not answer to you!” 

In a move quicker than either Atem or Seto could register, Set had pushed himself into the CEO’s personal space, grabbed the front of Kaiba’s black turtleneck and pressed the Millennium Rod to his throat. 

“Set, stop!” Atem commanded taking a cautious step towards the identical pair. 

Set paid no attention to his cousin, his focus fully on his re-incarnation. He needed answers and he needed them now. 

“Answer the question!” 

Seto grinded his teeth together before he replied, “More than I care to admit.” 

Had it been this hard to breathe before? Seto did his best to steady his breathing as to not give away any sign of distress to these people. The Rod pressed to his throat wasn’t helping him catch his breath in anyway shape or form, yet, he would not give them the satisfaction of succumbing to something like this. The CEO knew his body was far too tired to struggle against the grip that held him. It stung his pride to think that the grip was the only thing keeping him on his feet at that moment. 

Either his captor didn’t notice, or simply didn’t care and carried on his tirade of questions. 

“Do you remember the events of what transpired three thousand years ago?” 

A snort was the reply, so an affirmative then. 

“Do you remember Kisara?” 

Blue eyes averted Set's glare, that was another affirmative then. 

Set hesitated before he whispered his next question, barely audible, “Do you remember... Safiya?” 

Blue eyes that averted Set’s gaze snapped back to him in confusion and irritation, “What the hell are you talking about?” 

The silence that settled in the room was deafening. 

It seemed his re-incarnations memories currently stopped at the end of Atem’s reign. The answers Set wanted once again out of his reach. 

The priest sighed, and just as he was about to let the other man go the Millennium Rod decided at that moment under no command of his to shine gold with magical power in hands. 

Jumping back letting both the man and the Rod go in shock, Set watched as Kaiba crashed to the floor barely catching himself on his hands and knees, chest heaving as he tried to catch a breath. 

The gold Rod floated above him in all it's glory, shining brightly. 

“What did you do?!” Atem roared moving to stand beside Set. 

“I didn’t do anything...” Set said bewilderment filling him. 

The Rod continued to glow and the two Royal Egyptians watched in amazement as the magic gently encased Kaiba in an ethereal gold glow. Despite his struggle, Kaiba stood back up before them, his body slowly beginning to fade out before them. 

“What the fuck is your trinket doing?!” 

The tri-colour haired Pharaoh never turned his eyes away from what was happening before him. "It’s sending him back.” 

Something in Set snapped and he panicked at the words. Running forward the Priest pulled something out of his pocket and thrust it into the chest of the man fading before his eyes. 

“Find the keeper of the Black Dragon!” Set screamed. “Find her and protect her!” 

Both Set and Atem watched as Kaiba Seto faded out into nothing before their eyes and gold magical particles fell and dissipated. 

Neither said a word when the Millennium Rod crashed to the floor, the sound reverberating around the throne room. 

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Seto found himself floating in a void of nothing again. Yet this experience was much, much different than the previous time. Every part of his body felt like lead, and try as he might his eyes just wouldn’t open. Was he dying? Was he leaving Mokuba behind? The thought was excruciating. 

He still had far too much he needed to do, but he was tired, so very, very tired. 

All of a sudden, out of nowhere a quiet beautiful melody surrounded him. A woman singing... Seto knew he had never heard it before, but for some reason he couldn’t place why it felt so familiar even when he couldn’t seem to make out the words. 

He frowned, he wanted to know who owned that voice and why it felt so nostalgic. 

There was a sudden tingling in his fingers, and the CEO managed to push out his senses enough to realize he was holding something. Seto tightened his grip on the object as the mesmerising melody faded out to nothing and the darkness swept him away. 

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Set slowly bent down and picked up the Millennium Rod from the floor before returning it to his belt. He didn’t need to turn around, he could practically feel Atem’s questioning gaze on his back. 

The silence that sat between the two was thick and tense. 

“Are you going to enlighten me on what that was all about?” 

Set winced as the words cut through the silence, he turned around and met those questioning crimson eyes. “It is... a long story.” 

“In case you haven’t noticed but we have all the time in the world.” Atem said in retaliation. 

Set scowled. No way out of this then it seemed, he sighed before he spoke again turning away to look at anywhere but those judging red eyes, “Do you remember the tale of Meret’s Blessing?” 

“Meret’s Blessing?” The Pharaoh breathed out in a whispered question, “Why does that have anything to with this?” 

“Just... humour me.” 

Atem closed his eyes and folded his arms across his chest as he relayed the tale, “Meret. The beloved Goddess. Wife of the God Hapy the source of bountifulness and recipient of his endless generosity. Meret loved human kind so much that it was believed that she bestowed upon them one of her many gifts, a blessing on a human child that would rejoice in singing. Whomever should hear these songs would know unbound joy and happiness in that moment.” 

Set nodded in approval of the speech, but still said nothing he knew Atem still had more he wanted to say.

Atem opened his eyes and unfolded him arms and let them once again fall to his side. “This is just a legend Set, a story, a simple fairy-tale told to young children before bed. Many Kings and Pharaohs aeons ago had endlessly searched for the blessing only to come back empty handed.” 

Set shook his head before a small sincere smile over took his face. “We both know that from legends stem a certain amount of truth.” 

“What are you saying?” 

“What I’m saying is.” Set’s smile was gone and his face was a picture of the seriousness of his next words. “I found her. I found the blessing of Meret.” 

Crimson eyes widened in disbelief. 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

EMERGENCY! SYSTEM ERROR! EMERGENCY! SYSTEM ERROR! 

Kaiba Mokuba stood frozen to the spot as the shrill sound of the alarm bounced off the walls of the KaibaCorp command centre. Why was this happening? Everything had been fine just moments ago 

The dark-haired teenager really tried to make out what the workers behind him were screaming about but there was just too many people talking all at once to even make any sense out of it all. 

“... the hell happened...” 

“... get communication...” 

“... is Hayashi and Shimizu’s location...” 

The youngest Kaiba drowned the rest out as wide eyes stared at the screen that no longer showed his brother, just black and grey static, the shrill alarm still continuing to wail in the background. 

“Vice President, what should we do?” 

Mokuba turned tear filled eyes to Yamazaki Misaki, the woman looked just as terrfied as Mokuba felt. 

“... I don’t know.” He brokenly whispered at her before turning back to the screen. 

The stunned woman dropped her clipboard and didn’t say anything else besides him. 

It felt like an eternity that he stayed like that, panic and fear gripping his heart. He knew he should have protested against this more, insisted that Seto didn’t go through with this. But Mokuba had stupidly let his brother go. 

Slamming his fist down on the desk Mokuba closed his eyes and let the tears fall. 

Suddenly the wailing alarm stopped, Mokuba’s head snapped back to the screen just as the static began to fade and the camera focused. Hayashi and Shimizu could be seen pulling the CEO of KaibaCorp’s lifeless body from the Pod in the Space Station, their voices slowly coming through the sound system. 

“... unresponsive... no pulse... not breathing... beginning CPR...” 

Every scientist and technician had stopped what they were doing to watch the horrific scene of the two men performing emergency aid to their boss. 

Mokuba pushed his hands against the screen his scream cutting through the silence and echoing around the command room. 

“NII-SAMA!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to go with the fact that even though they are in the afterlife, they can still feel their _Kā_ not that it's much use to them anymore as the afterlife is only for the uncorrupted souls who have proved themselves worthy to the Gods.
> 
> While I am fully aware in the series that both Pharaoh Atem and Priest Seto didn't actually know they were cousins, lets just go with the fact that when they re-united in the afterlife they were told or found out, whichever you prefer.
> 
> Don't ask me where I come up with this stuff I have no idea, anyway I hoped you enjoyed this much longer chapter, things are slowly starting to get interesting...
> 
> I apologize if there are any mistakes or you feel there is an issue somewhere, this story is un-beta'd I have no one who can go through and check this for me.
> 
> Until next time!


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